


Between You and I

by Gothams_Only_Wolf



Series: The Beautiful Verse [3]
Category: Avengers (Comics), Captain America, Captain America (Comics), Captain America (Movies), Hetalia: Axis Powers, The Avengers (2012), The Avengers - Ambiguous Fandom
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, I Don't Even Know, M/M, Multi, Stark Spangled Banner - Freeform, Wingfic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-03-01
Updated: 2013-03-01
Packaged: 2017-12-03 23:28:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,192
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/703871
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gothams_Only_Wolf/pseuds/Gothams_Only_Wolf
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Steve's secret was revealed to one man before the Avengers... If you could call America a man. But hey, this is Alfred F. Jones we're talking about here; Steve could do a lot worse in revealing something that personal. Bit of a sad/comfort/song fic and warm fuzzies when they meet again. Set before and during Life was Beautiful.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Between You and I

**Author's Note:**

> What even... This is what you get when you're sick and sleep most of the day away before going to bed still tired. Also when your stupid brain decides that America and Captain America meeting is perfectly reasonable at twelve thirty at night. Yay me. I should probably stop listening to my brain at that point and sleep. 
> 
> What do I do instead? Wrote out the first three paragraphs of this, fell asleep and then finish it in the next day. Insert witty, self-depreciating comment here please.

* * *

Here's the thing about secrets; everyone has them, some more visible than others. Steve might have fudged on only five people knowing his secret before the Avengers. The thing is? Steve's not so sure he can adequately describe meeting his own country but he'll damn sure try. Alfred wouldn't appreciate it otherwise. 

* * *

 

Alfred F. Jones is pretty sturdy for a human-shaped country. Blond hair, blue eyes, about six feet tall, wears a bomber jacket and jeans with sneakers years before they're popular. When Steve meets him, though, that's not what he's dressed like. He's sitting in a bar after Dr. Erskine dies, trying to drown the sorrow of the only man aside from his Da who'd taken all of him as he was being dead. Steve's uniform is taunt and stretched out from the muscles that the Doc had given him. His wings ache like they never have before as he takes in drink after drink that seems like water to his metabolism. 

"Bad day?" Steve sighs and looks up to see what could pass for him in the mirror. The only thing is that the guy is wearing glasses and has the most horrible cowlick he's ever seen. 

"You could say that." he mutters, knocking back another shot of absinthe, barely grimacing at the burn. Steve can't recall the amount he drank, which he hopes means he _can_ get drunk. 

"You're gonna die if you keep drinking like that." comes the dry response. "Want it to kill you?" 

"I wish it would." Steve huffs before pushing away the bottle, if only to be polite. "Just a little though." 

"Why?" 

"Death." he mumbles from where he's buried his face into his arms. 

"Anyone in particular?" now the man's voice is soft, understanding. 

"A man who shouldn't have died today. He put his faith in me and I let him down." Maybe the alcohol was getting to him after all... 

"You were close?" 

"We were supposed to drink schnapps together." he says before he can help himself. "Only, he drank most of the bottle before... we could even get to it." 

"I'll take that as a yes. How'd he, uh, go?" 

"Shot." Steve murmurs as he feels his hair getting carded through. "In the chest. Can you believe that? The greatest man I knew and he was just taken out by a bullet to the chest. 'M Steve, by the way."

"Alfred. Where do you live?" the tone is warm, if a bit amused by his sudden change in topic. 

"Brooklyn. Doc asked me the same damned question." Steve has no idea why he feels he can trust Alfred this much but it's bone-deep and he drops off to sleep feeling comforted. 

* * *

_Lying here, watching stars, feeling tears running down my face_

_Wishing you, wishing I_

_That we were holding hands_

* * *

He wakes up with a start, his skin fold twitching as he realizes his shirt's been taken off. It smells like eggs and bacon in his tiny, Army-issued barracks room. Steve sniffs his breath and recoils at the awful scent. 

"Ugh..." 

"Oh, good! You're awake." Steve's fingers curl into fists before relaxing. It's Alfred from the night before. But why is he here? Oh God. He hopes Alfred isn't one of his bosses; that would make a terrible first impression. "Wondering what I'm doing here?" 

"Alfred, right?" 

The baby blues crinkle at the corners and he gets a laugh, "Good memory. Go wash up and I'll put breakfast down. I'll explain after." 

Steve does just that, splashing cold water on his face and brushing his teeth at least three times until he can no longer taste the alcohol. He tugs a spare SSR shirt on over his bare chest, feeling a little uncomfortable with walking around like that in front of his odd... What was Alfred exactly? A guest, Steve decided firmly as he nodded to himself. 

"My apologies about yesterday, Mr...?"

"Jones. Alfred F. Jones, but you can call me Al or Alfred. My full name means I'm in trouble with the boss." Alfred neatly dodges his apology as though he knows that wasn't Steve normally. 

"Who is your boss?" he asks as he digs into the hearty breakfast.

"Yours."

"The Senator?" he's confused. 

"No. Commander in Chief, President Roosevelt." 

Steve manages to swallow his bite of eggs and toast before coughing out,"You work with the President?" 

"I'm a glorified secretary." comes the wry answer, complete with a wink. "But I know things." 

"Things?" 

"Project: Rebirth, for instance." This time Steve does choke on his food but manages to swallow very roughly. "Sorry. Probably should have waited for you to finish that bite." He's flashed the sweetest smile he's ever seen (it just makes sense to label it that way with Alfred, don't judge him) and that lessens the literal ache in his throat. "My apologies, Steve." 

"So, you know about Erskine." he's subdued as he realizes he has to go to the funeral. 

"I think you going there is a good idea. Just Steve and not as Captain America. Personally, I find the Sentator's idea of you as a performing monkey incredibly stupid. We should be putting where you'll do the most good but the boss is busy and he doesn't always listen." 

"So, are you his personal secretary or something?" Steve goes back to his meal, his body telling him he better eat. 

"Officially? My title is Head Secretary of Paperwork. I have Top Secret clearance for those documents I have to file. Frank and I go over them when he's not busy fending off some idiotic move from Congress." Alfred smiles as he puts more food onto Steve's empty plate. "You need to eat more." 

"I burned through the alcohol ridiculously quick. I don't know if I should be grateful not to get a hangover or not even be bothered by it. I can't even get properly drunk." he sighs as he continues to absently put food in his mouth. Steve doesn't notice the proud smile Alfred shoots his way. 

"That absinthe seemed to be doing something after the ninth shot or so." Alfred sniggered as Steve remembered. 

"Oh... Don't remind me." A thought occurs to him as his wings flex again. "Why do I feel like I can trust you?" 

He's gifted with a somber smile from the normally cheerful man and a response that confuses him,"You're more perceptive than I've given credit for." 

"No, it's just... You feel warm. Safe." His wings shuddered violently as they demanded to be released. Alfred's brow furrowed as Steve's back heaved... Oh crap-His wings ripped through the shirt and flared out into the brilliant sunshine, the feathers shushing together as they flicked out by themselves. "I..." Steve mantled them as fast as he could, looking away from Alfred as he clenched his fists. "I'm sorry." 

"Hey, those are pretty cool." He chokes a little at Alfred's soothing tone before he looks up to see amazement and awe in those eyes and not hate. "Spread 'em out again?" 

"You're not gonna...?" he breathes quietly as they hike up aggressively. 

"Turn you in? No. I know what being in the wrong sort of spotlight is like." the understanding look has the stiff wings dropping their aggressive stance almost instantly. "Can I touch them or is that too personal?" 

Steve flares them forward, examining the ruffled feathers with a critical eye.

"If you tell me what you meant by that cryptic statement. I do need a good grooming." he counters as he realizes this the fourth shirt he's ruined in less than a week. "... And you get me a new shirt after I put them away." 

"Done and done." Alfred snags another tan SSR shirt, settling behind Steve to groom the long slightly dry feathers. "I'm not human."

"Not-" Steve's turning when Alfred's hand pushes him back with an ease that shouldn't be possible. 

"Let me finish. I'm a human representation of a country, specifically the good ol' U S of A. I'm a thousand times stronger than I look, I promise. The strength of a country depends upon it's people and right now? I'm probably the strongest on the battlefield at the moment. I don't know how Arthur, Francis, Feliciano and Romano stand being under Ludwig's thumb; but it's not Luddy's fault since his boss is a bit of a territory hog. I can never remember Austria's name though..." 

"You mean there are more than just you?" He astonished that Alfred's so easily trusting that he's not sure whether or not to believe his guest. 

"Every country that's ever been a country has one. Hungary's been sealed into silence. That's a terrible fate for a country." Alfred's gone solemn again and Steve can feel it as though he is Alfred.

"Alfred, my alias is Captain America... Does that do anything for you?" 

"I'm not sure. I've felt a bit stronger being in your presence but I have no idea what that means. I should probably ask Arthur since he's got a Captain Britain. Maybe he'll know; he has been around longer than I have." 

"Arthur?" 

"England to you guys. We get together every few decades or so to ease the tensions that comes with being countries." Alfred's back to the cheerful young man who flashes smiles as easy as breathing. Steve knows there's more depth now and it throws him for a bit. "So, anything you wanna know?" 

"Why are you trusting me with this? This is... This is immense. I don't know if I can keep this." He's gifted with another of those dazzling smiles over his shoulder. 

"Same way you keep these." Alfred jiggles one of his wings lightly as a point while he's carding through the scapulars. "Easy peasy." 

"Right." he's forgotten that he has to hide the huge span. "How big do you think they are? Last I measured, they were ten feet." 

"I'd say about eighteen or so, maybe eighteen and a half if you'd stretch 'em out all the way. Your barracks aren't wide enough to take the width properly. I'm just guessing from what I saw." Alfred hums as he finishes up the right wing. "The left-"

"I was in a bad place. I wanted to be normal. I wanted to play outside with the other boys. I wasn't always like this." Steve says with a thick voice. 

"I know; but it's what in here that counts." Alfred taps the area over Steve's heart. "The doc told you that and so will I. Your good heart made you like this. You understand the spirit of America. You're the best thing I could imagine, a real-life hero. So what if you have a bit of extra? It just makes you even better." 

"You think so?" he can't help his tone, hopeful to the last. 

"I know so, soldier. Make me proud." 

* * *

_Ah-ooh_

_You lift me higher_

_Without you_

_The sky's on fire_

* * *

He's flinging his Vibrainium shield across a battlefield when he sees Alfred again. The country is helping up a blond, green-eyed and bleeding sluggishly. 

"Steve?" 

"Al?" He fends off the HYDRA soldiers, sending them to sleep with a few well-placed punches. "Who's this?" 

"Arthur, meet Steve. Steve, England." the introduction is short but sufficient as he fights to protect the two countries with a ferocity that obviously startles the other country. 

"Alfred, who is this man?" the British accent makes him smile even amidst the bloody battle, frightening the remaining HYDRA agents into retreating full-time. 

"I told you. Steve's in on our secret."

"Why?! You bloody idiot! He could-"

"He's got a secret of his own, Arty." Alfred counters as he checks over the blood dripping from the obvious wounds. "Damned London Blitzes. Ludwig's got his hands tied on this one..." 

"Can I help?" Steve asks as he pulls out his own med-kit, his wings twitching in not one, but two countries' presences making them demand release because he feels perfectly at home on this destroyed battlefield with the pair of them. "Damned wings... Is it obscure enough?" this question he directs at Alfred while he deftly patches up England. 

"Not here." Steve makes a long-suffering sigh as he reigns in his wings tightly enough to stop the twitching. "I'll get a separate tent." 

"Don't you already have one?" he questions absently as he starts to pick up Arthur. "Sorry. May I pick you up, sir?" The man shoots him a pained grimace but nods slowly. Steve scoops up the country as though he weighs nothing, slinging his shield onto his back to keep it out of the way: "I'm new to this whole countries thing but am I even allowed to be in on the secret?" 

"Bloody hell, a polite American. Where'd you find this one, Alfred?" 

"I'm Irish-Catholic, if that helps any? My Mam and Da told me that manners will get you almost anywhere." he says dryly as he continues to walk to the truck. "I'm from Brooklyn." The green eyes slide shut as Steve continues to chit-chat, which is entirely his intent. "We've got this neighborhood... Is he asleep?" Alfred motions that he should continue to talk. "Well, Bucky and I got into all sorts of trouble with the neighborhood knitting ladies club. I ended up being invited into the circle when Bucky went outside more often than I did..."

The other soldiers listen in comfortable silence as he recalls stupid fights, silly childhood memories and his Mam's home-made apple pie. Arthur's smiling in his pained sleep which makes reliving the memories a lot less painful than they should be. 

* * *

_I don't want to be alone anymore_

_I just can't describe_

_How it feels to be close to you_

_Oh-oh-oho, oh-oh-oho_

_Like a rainbow_

* * *

They get to the Infirmary where the head Doc says bed rest for the next couple of days. Steve's wings are out the moment he takes off his shirt in the privacy of Alfred's and Arthur's tent. 

"Oh, my wings... Holding them in when I'm comfortable is insane." They droop softly, the wingtips brushing Arthur's cot with the other country awake. "Sorry." 

"Quite the secret you've got then, isn't it? May I?"

"Sure you can. Al groomed them last time so they're not as messy as they could be. Did you figure out our puzzle from last time?" he says as he feels the tension drain away from his frame as Arthur's gentle fingers spread out the oil that keeps them soft and flight-worthy. 

"You're my Avatar, one of the pillars of my strength. There are others but you're the only one I'm in constant contact with it seems." 

"Huh. Boy does it feel good to let them out..." 

"I can only imagine keeping something like this hidden." Arthur murmurs as he digs his fingers into the feathers and starts massaging the muscles. "Do you fly with them?" 

"As many times as I can sneak away from camp without getting noticed. The vanes spread out so that I don't make much noise. You guys make me feel so comfortable that they're always wanting to come out..." 

"You have minimal control?" 

"It's not that I can't control them. It's the fact that my muscles loosen when I'm around you guys and the skin flap that hides them doesn't stay where it should. I controlled it on the way here since you fell asleep. Alfred sat about as far away as he could in the truck and that helped some." Steve explains as Arthur finishes with his wings. 

"Ah. You're saying that this happens regardless of whether or not you want it to but you have some measure of control if one of us is unconcious and the other is far away. Did this happen with Alfred when you were alone?" Arthur asks, curiousity prevailent in his voice. Steve fights back a smile as he realizes how thick Arthur's eyebrows are; Alfred snickers quietly when he notices that Steve is hiding his own. 

"Yes. I expected him to throw things at me when they flared out like that." he chuckles at the memory. "Hell, I expected him to turn me in, put me with the spooks..." 

"Ooo, never a good thing, that. Alfred's got some of the best." 

"Hey, don't blame me. Hoover was a paranoid bastard. Dressed funny too." Al huffed as he absently pushed Steve's wing away from his cot. "Are you done grooming, Arty? I think I heard the Colonel wanting to know what the hell's going on." Steve flicked his wings to coat them in the excess oil and folded them away just as the Colonel entered the tent.

"Sorry, sir." he apologized as he pulled on his shirt turning around when Peggy entered as well. Grateful for his speed, he buttoned up his shirt, looped his tie and tied it before turning back around. "I was a bit stiff."

"Mr-"

"That's Colonel Kirkland, old chap. Major Jones and I got into a bit of a scrap with HYDRA and your Captain was kind enough to offer his personal tent as a bit of shelter from prying eyes." Arthur's eyes were full of a seriousness all countries seemed to carry. "We'll be getting back to my special unit now. Colonel, Major Jones, Captain Rogers, Ms. Carter, I bid you farewell." There was a Jeep outside his tent that was driven by a auburn-haired Sgt. who also appeared to be British. 

"Sir, does he know?" 

"He's in on it, O' Hare. You can relax about the good Captain." 

* * *

_The night is beautiful_

_The stars are brighter than ever_

_And yet I stand here all alone_

_Watching the waves crashing_

* * *

It's seventy years before he sees Alfred again. Wings out as he strolls down the Helicarrier's corridors, he runs into a blond that feels familiar. 

"I'm terribly sorry about-Alfred?" 

"Steve!" He's swept into a bone-crushing hug from Alfred and he relaxes fully, warm in the embrace of his country. "I thought you were a goner?" He's set down gently and looked over properly. 

"They found me on ice, Al. Why weren't you informed? I think I wrote you in as POC along with Peggy..." Steve muttered as he picked up the paperwork with his friend's help. 

"Paperwork mix-up apparently. President didn't get to know until you were battling those ugly, sonofaguns on TV. Ipso facto, so I was out of the loop. This place is like spook-central. I'm not sure why I have to come to this meeting with Director One-Eye." Steve spots a bandage sticking out of Alfred's short-sleeves. "Hey, no, none of that famous frown." He ignores Al as he pulls up the sleeve gently. 

"How badly were you damaged?" the concerned question is punctuated by his wings brushing over Alfred's back softly as if searching for more injuries. "Al..." 

"Geez, you're worse than the boss. Just a few scrapes. Nothing too big, I promise. Worrywart. Arty already patched me up." the fond voice makes Steve roll his eyes. He peels off the bandage and stares uncomprehendingly at the damage. "Hello? Steve, look at me. Country here. I'll heal when the people do. Give that time some time, eh? Oh, God now I sound like Mattie..." 

"Mattie?" 

"Cover that back up. Mattie's my baby bro." Steve obliges his country and tapes it back in place. 

"Countries have siblings?" That was news to Steve. 

"Yeah. You'd normally know him as Canada. Name's Matthew Williams. Don't be surprised if you forget his name; everyone does." Alfred hummed as he made faces at the SHIELD newbies. "Do all of them come with the stoic face and general unawesomeness? Eww, now I sound like Prussia and just-Don't ask. He's Germany's stupid brother." 

"You'll have to ask Phil. He's head of the division... Okay then, I won't. Do other countries besides you and Germany have siblings?" 

"Oh yeah. Tons. Russia's got a bunch, China's probably got the most and Arty's got a few older ones but they're more titles now than actual countries. They're the weird one's like Britannia, Celtica and names like that. Oh, Ireland's Angus." 

"Sounds busy."

"Pffft. You should see the world meetings. Kiku's always parroting but he's got some pretty good ideas. Japan, if you were wondering. It's a mess and to quote Arty? 'This is a bloody waste of all our time.' Pretty accurate. Germany and China are the only ones who get anything done." 

"Wow. Sounds a bit like our meetings as the Avengers. Bruce and I are the only ones who get any paperwork done; we split the paperwork of the other Avengers between us if Thor doesn't decide to audio report in epic tale fashion. He'll probably pick up the fact that you're not all you seem either." Alfred shrugged as he entered with Steve. The meeting went silent as he shouldered Al into the room. "What? I'm allowed to have friends." he says as he pats the seat next to him for Alfred to sit in. Tony's trying to glare holes in Al's head. Bruce is wary, but the tension in his shoulders relaxes as Alfred's presence begins to sink in. 

"Okay, so who's the whack-job with the bomber jacket and why does Steve know this guy?" Tony blurts first before anyone else can ask that exact same question. 

"This is Major Alfred F. Jones. He's better known as a part of the Howling Commandoes and a friend of mine." Steve introduces his country with a smile. 

"Why's he here?" Clint asks from the rafter where he normally 'perches' for meetings. 

"That is up to Al to tell you." comes his response as he pulls the paperwork towards himself and his pen. 

"Leave me with the harder job, why don't you?" Alfred grumbles good-naturedly. "Officially? I'm a glorified Presidential secretary. Unofficially? I'm the human representation of the good ol' US of A."

"Wait... If you're the representation of the US, shouldn't you be bleeding a little or something?" Tony asks, his keen eyes spotting the bandage. "Oh." Steve mentally counts down to Tony's snark-filled apology, three, two- "That was callous of me. Sorry if it was offensive." 

"None taken. I was warned that you guys would be wary." 

"Okay, umm, has anyone noticed the only person who hasn't relaxed is Nat?" Clint hummed as he lolled from the rafter. 

"Russian? Ivan should be on board somewhere..." 

Which prompts Bruce's question that echoes Steve's from so long ago, "Wait, there are more like you?" 

"Every country that's every been a country has one of us. HEY, IVAN I FOUND ONE OF YOURS!" Silence follows in the wake of Alfred shouting before a larger man in a scarf with violet eyes and white hair comes into the room, a large sunflower tapping at his broad shoulder. 

"One of mine? You are sure?" the thick accent draws shivers down his spine as Natasha pulls out a large knife. 

"See for yourself, Ivan." Alfred shrugs as he sits back down. 

"Da, is mine. But why so far away from home little sunflower?" Natasha barks something in Russian that has the man laughing. "Is definitely mine. Making jokes about blood on snow..." The grin is slightly terrifying and Alfred falls out of his chair from laughter.

"Yeah, she's yours alright. The rest are mine." 

Ivan's violet gaze traces all of them and lands solidly on Bruce. "This one, he is different." 

"You felt it too?"

"Rage, like holding back tidal wave with wall of calm. Duality is very pretty." the accent becomes thicker as the two countries look at a now slightly panicky Bruce. 

"Okay." Steve snaps his wings in front of the intense gazes and shields his lover from them. "Hey. Bruce? Babe?" 

"Wings." Hulk's come out to play and Steve's now looking into green eyes instead of the normal sepia tone. 

"Hulk. It's not dangerous."

"White one scare puny. Yellow calm." 

"Home country is the yellow. White's not ours but Spider's."

"Make go away." the rumble is deeper as he works around the rage. 

"Ivan, I think it's time to go." 

"Da. I will see little sunflower when rage is not awake." 

* * *

_Ah-ooh_

_You lift me higher_

_Without you the sky's on fire_

_And it burns and it turns_

_My heart to ashes_

For I won't bear not to share the night

* * *

Alfred recieved a standing offer to movie night that afternoon, having been dragged to the Tower by the team. Tony was prodding him on every subject he knew, Clint was just watching him, Bruce was grooming his wings and Thor? Thor waited until Tony wound down and fell asleep under Steve's wing before he spoke. 

"Do you think Asgard has such a being?" Alfred hummed as he thought, flicking through the channels faster than Steve thought possible. 

"Maybe. Mother's always talking about Gaia." 

"Your Mother?" 

"She's the culture that came before mine. We've got a lot of empires that either melded with an existing country or faded or stood on their own because the people still consider themselves a part of it. Mother's still going strong after more than a millennia but that's because her people have always believed in her. Her most common name is Mother in the language of her peoples. The humans would call them Native Americans." The country murmurs as he turns off the TV. "I've only met Grandmother once. We all do when we burst into existence but... She smiled at me. It's the most wonderful feeling a country can get aside from being surrounded by their citizens. Hugging's even better but most people don't bother unless they're close enough to feel what I am. Boss doesn't hug me enough anymore. Last one was in... Let's see, 2008. Been a while. This boss is pretty busy." 

"Wow. So when you hugged me?" 

"First one in four years, Steve. You got the full force of it." Steve's mind slides back to the embrace, the rush of Niagra Falls, the highest peaks in the Appalachians & Rockies with the sharpest air he'd ever tasted and the encompassing freedom inherent in the Plains. The love for his country, for his people, for his home had almost made him cry. 

"It's a lot to take in." He's a bit breathless from remembering. 

"I hear a but in there somewhere?" Tony mumbles as he adjusts something on his StarkPad, blearily staring at the screen with sleepy eyes. 

"Mostly it's warm; like you've come home at long last after a long journey or a trip you thought would never end. It's... like family you haven't seen in a while but you missed them all the same. You have to experience it for yourself." he finds himself murmuring, his voice soft and respectful. "I can't really put it into words." 

"Sounds awesome. Can I get one?" Clint drops down from the over-sized vents onto the couch next to Alfred. 

"Sure." Steve can tell their country is grateful to them for treating him like a normal person and a country at the same time. 

Clint hums as Alfred hugs him, flopping bonelessly back onto the couch as he finishes,"Definitely warm." 

The remaining Avengers get one as well, even Natasha, "Interesting. It is warm but not what I expected."

"Ivan's would be like mine is to them. Trust me." Alfred's not even upset because he's gotten four hugs from his citizens and Nat's is just a bonus as far as he's concerned. 

"Alfred."

"Ivan. Go hug your citizen. You look like you need one." Al's cheeky and shoos the broad man towards Natasha. She's engulfed in the reluctant hug but by the blissful expressions on both of their faces it's a good one. 

"Did we look like that?" Tony's more awake now after his own and a smile lights his face up. 

"It's a mutual thing." comes Alfred's absent answer as he considers Thor. "Did you want one? You're an honorary citizen. I wanna see if it works." The thunderer ponders that for a moment before Alfred is swept into Thor's embrace. Both non-humans glow briefly before Thor lets go of Alfred. "I wasn't expecting an astral, trans-dimensional hug from Asgard's main being but okay?" 

"You felt him or her?" 

"Male, if you were wondering. Deep voice, kinda wearing golden armor-"

"Bearing a sword at the end of a bridge?" Thor's expression is in awe and his voice is full of shock.

"Yep. You know him, don't you?" Alfred's face is caught between laughter and seriousness at the Demi-god's look. 

"Heimdall keeps the Bifrost. He sees all and is most amused by this, as are you." The thunderer's voice is full of chagrin. 

"Sure I am. You were staring your being in the face the entire time." Alfred shakes his head, laughter winning and pulling his lips up into a half-smile. 

"I will take the time to embrace him now that I know it is an appreciated gesture." Thor says proudly as he goes back to the couch and the cartoons that are playing. "Come, watch the antics of Tom and Jerry with me." That made all of the Avengers laugh as all of them had been forced to watch Tom and Jerry with Thor at some point or another. 

"Now you're one of us." Clint says as he perches on the back of the couch. 

"Indeed. All of my fellow shield brothers and sister have gone through this ritual with me." 

* * *

_I don't want to be alone anymore_

_I just can't describe_

_How it feels to lay close to you_

_Oh-oh-oho, oh-oh-oho_

_Like a rainbow_

* * *

It's a quiet kitchen early in the morning after Alfred was inducted into the Avengers. Steve's propped up with one hand on his cheek as he watches the sunrise through the big bay windows. His wings are ruffled and loose, just the way they normally are after a night with Tony and Bruce. He hears Alfred's soft tread as he enters the kitchen sleepily. 

"Thanks for that." 

"You're welcome. After all, it was you who pulled me out of my slump. I'm glad to return the favor." a glance at his friend shows slumped shoulders and tired eyes. "I see it helped a little." 

"Your hugs seem to revitalize me more than the others. Heimdall infused some of his energy into me yesterday when Thor embraced me. Arty's been letting me sleep at the World Meetings and the others have been turning a blind eye. I'm worried." comes Al's raspy response. 

"So long as America has some heroes, I think we'll be alright." Steve hums as the sun finally rises into the sky. 

"Always the star-spangled man with a plan, hmm?" 

"Oh, don't get me started..." 

* * *

_I heard a voice through a seashell_

_Singing I belong to you_

_And when I look into your eyes I can tell_

_That you've come to love me too_

_I don't want to be alone anymore_  


_I just can't describe_

_How it feels to be close to you_

_Oh-oh-oho, oh-oh-oho_

_Like a rainbow_

_Hold me now_

_A-Oh, A-Oh, how you feeling now?_

_Hey you, hey you, do you feel it like I?_

_Watcha gonna do, watcha gonna say?_

_Standing under that burning sky_

_I can see you looking over_

_It's me-eeeeee_

**Author's Note:**

> So lyrics are from The Green Children's Skies on Fire and I thought they fit quite nicely. It casts a certain mood for me. This is the part where you tell me you loved, hated or didn't give a crap about this fic! Feedback is important. :)


End file.
